| Angels–Athletics rivalry | |
| Team1logo: | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Insignia.svg |
| Team2logo: | Oakland Athletics cap logo.png |
| Firstmeeting: | April 30, 1961[1] Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California Angels 6, Athletics 4 |
| Mostrecent: | July 28, 2024 Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California Angels 8, Athletics 6 |
| Total: | 1,032[2] |
| Most Wins: | Athletics |
| Regularseason: | Athletics, |
| Currentstreak: | Angels, 1 |
The Angels–Athletics rivalry is a Major League Baseball (MLB) divisional rivalry played between the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland Athletics. Both teams compete as member clubs of the American League (AL) West division, and both teams have grown a steady rivalry since the Athletics' relocation to California and to the AL West in 1968.[3] Though not as intense as the Dodgers–Giants rivalry equivalent in the National League (NL) West; the A's and Angels have often battled for the division title on numerous occasions, with the added animosity between Northern and Southern California fueling the matchups.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Despite this; the Athletics' relocation to Las Vegas possibly for the 2025 season likely wouldn't exclude geography as a factor, as Las Vegas is closer in proximity to Southern California.[9] The Athletics lead the series 541–491, and the two teams have yet to meet in the postseason.[10]
The Angels joined the American in 1961 as an expansion team. The Athletics relocated to Oakland in 1968 after owner Charlie Finley endured much difficulty in securing a new ballpark in Kansas City, though Kansas City would later be granted an expansion franchise in 1969 known today as the Royals. The Athletics were one of the oldest franchises in league history, having joined the MLB in 1901 as the Philadelphia Athletics. Both teams struggled mightily through the 1960s as both encountered mediocre play, however; the Athletics began to quickly emerge as postseason titans, winning three straight World Series titles from 1972 to 1974. The Angels found a brief moment of postseason success as they reached the playoffs for the first time in 1979. The A's continued to stay competitive through the 1980s as they managed three appearances across the decade in the ALCS, even managing to win yet another World Series in 1989. The Angels would also manage two appearances in the ALCS in 1982 and 1986, but lost both times.
Both teams dealt with long term issues stemming from multiple mediocre seasons in which either team made the postseason, however; the rivalry began to have more implications within the division as the A's bolstered a younger lineup of future stars known famously as the "Moneyball" team. [11] The Angels finished the 2002 season as runner-ups in the division, snagging a wild card berth; while the Athletics managed a record-setting 20 game win streak near the end of the season. Much to the shock of sportswriters and fans alike, the A's fell in the ALDS to the Minnesota Twins, while the Angels pushed onto win the World Series in an improbable playoff run.[12] During the 2004 season, both teams came down to the wire tied for wins headed into the final series of the season, with the last three games being played in Oakland.[13] Both teams were battling to secure the division title, however; Oakland fell in two crushing losses to the Angels with only one victory in the series coming in the final game of the year. Oakland would find themselves eliminated from the playoff hunt, though the Angels would go on to suffer a crushing sweep at the hands of the eventual champion Boston Red Sox.
As of 2023, both teams have yet to meet in the postseason.[14] The animosity waned yet again during the decade as both teams struggled mightily in either playoff contention or maintaining a winning record. Tension began to resurface between both teams in 2023, when Angels' third baseman Anthony Rendon received a four-game suspension following an altercation with an Athletics fan during the season opener series in Oakland.[15] [16] The fan reportedly taunted Rendon for his injuries and play. In retaliation; Rendon attempted to rip the fan's shirt and was subsequently removed from the stadium and given a 4 game suspension. He was also fined an undisclosed amount.[17] [18] [19]
|-| | Tie| 99| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Athletics, 63| Tie
99||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 126| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Angels
2115||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 108| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Angels
2925||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 126| style=";" | Angels, 54| style=";" | Angels, 72| style=";" | Angels
4131||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 135| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Angels, 72| style=";" | Angels
5436| Angels rename to "California Angels" with a month of the season remaining|-| | Tie| 99| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Angels
6345| Angels relocate to Anaheim and open Anaheim Stadium|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 144| style=";" | Angels, 90| style=";" | Angels, 54| style=";" | Angels
7749||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 135| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics, 72| style=";" | Angels
8262| Athletics relocate to Oakland and play at OaklandAlameda County Coliseum as the "Oakland Athletics"|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 126| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 72| style=";" | Angels
8874||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 108| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Angels
9684| Angels pitcher Clyde Wright threw a no-hitter against the Athletics.|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 117| style=";" | Athletics, 72| style=";" | Angels, 54| style=";" | Angels
10395||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 108| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Angels
111105| Athletics win 1972 World Series|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 126| style=";" | Athletics, 72| style=";" | Athletics, 54| Tie
117117| Athletics win 1973 World Series|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 126| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 72| style=";" | Athletics
129123| Athletics win 1974 World Series
Athletics take a 121120 lead on June 24 in the series, a lead they would never relinquish.|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 117| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics
140130||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 126| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics
152136||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 105| Tie, 44| style=";" | Athletics, 61| style=";" | Athletics
162141| AL expansion reduces season series to 15 meetings per year. Athletics win ten straight season series.|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 96| style=";" | Angels, 43| style=";" | Angels, 53| style=";" | Athletics
168150||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 103| style=";" | Angels, 52| style=";" | Angels, 51| style=";" | Athletics
171160||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 103| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics, 61| style=";" | Athletics
181163||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 82| style=";" | Athletics, 40| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
189165| Strike-shortened season|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 94| style=";" | Angels, 51| style=";" | Angels, 43| style=";" | Athletics
193174||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 85| style=";" | Athletics, 43| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
201179||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Angels, 52| style=";" | Athletics
207186||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Angels, 43| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
214192||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 103| style=";" | Angels, 51| style=";" | Angels, 52| style=";" | Athletics
217202||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Athletics, 52| style=";" | Angels, 42| style=";" | Athletics
224208||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 94| Tie, 33| style=";" | Athletics, 61| style=";" | Athletics
233212| Athletics lose 1988 World Series|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 85| style=";" | Athletics, 43| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
241217| Athletics win 1989 World Series|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 94| style=";" | Athletics, 51| style=";" | Athletics, 43| style=";" | Athletics
250221| Athletics lose 1990 World Series|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 121| style=";" | Athletics, 61| style=";" | Athletics, 60| style=";" | Athletics
262222||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 85| Tie, 33| style=";" | Athletics, 52| style=";" | Athletics
270227||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Angels, 43| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
277233||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 63| Tie, 33| style=";" | Athletics, 30| style=";" | Athletics
283236| Strike-shortened season. Strike cancels postseason.|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Angels, 52| style=";" | Athletics, 51| style=";" | Athletics
290242||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Angels, 43| style=";" | Athletics
297248| Athletics win ten straight season series.|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 111| style=";" | Angels, 51| style=";" | Angels, 60| style=";" | Athletics
298259| Angels rename to "Anaheim Angels." Angels win 12 straight meetings and 7 straight away meetings (199697)|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 75| Tie, 33| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
305264| |-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 84| style=";" | Angels, 51| Tie, 33| style=";" | Athletics
309272||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 85| Tie, 33| style=";" | Athletics, 52| style=";" | Athletics
317277||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 146| style=";" | Athletics, 73| style=";" | Athletics, 73| style=";" | Athletics
331283| MLB changed to an unbalanced schedule in 2001, resulting in 19-20 meetings per year.|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 119| style=";" | Angels, 64| style=";" | Athletics, 73| style=";" | Athletics
342292| First season in which both teams qualify for playoffs. Angels win 2002 World Series|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 128| Tie, 55| style=";" | Athletics, 73| style=";" | Athletics
354300||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 109| Tie, 55| style=";" | Angels, 54| style=";" | Athletics
363310| Teams meet in the final series of the season in Oakland tied for first place in the AL West; Angels win two of three games to win the division.|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 109| style=";" | Angels, 54| Tie, 55| style=";" | Athletics
372320| Angels rename to "Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim"|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 118| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Angels, 73| style=";" | Athletics
380331| John Lackey/Jason Kendall brawl|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 109| Tie, 55| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics
390340||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 109| Tie, 55| style=";" | Angels, 54| style=";" | Athletics
399350| |-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 127| style=";" | Athletics, 64| style=";" | Angels, 81| style=";" | Athletics
406362||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 118| style=";" | Angels, 72| style=";" | Athletics, 64| style=";" | Athletics
414373||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 118| Tie, 55| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics
425381| |-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 109| style=";" | Athletics, 73| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Athletics
435390||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 118| style=";" | Athletics, 54| style=";" | Athletics, 64| style=";" | Athletics
446398| On April 29, the teams played a 19-ining game that lasted 6 hours, 32 minutes, the longest game by time in Athletics history. The Athletics won the game on a Brandon Moss walk-off home run.[20] |-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 109| style=";" | Angels, 73| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics
455408||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 118| style=";" | Angels, 64| style=";" | Angels, 54| style=";" | Athletics
463419||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 127| style=";" | Angels, 64| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Athletics
470431| Angels name reverts to "Los Angeles Angels"|-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 127| style=";" | Angels, 72| Tie, 55| style=";" | Athletics
477443||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 109| style=";" | Angels, 54| Tie, 55| style=";" | Athletics
486453||-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 136| style=";" | Athletics, 63| style=";" | Athletics, 73| style=";" | Athletics
499459| |-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 64| style=";" | Angels, 21| style=";" | Athletics, 52| style=";" | Athletics
505463| Season shortened to 60 games (with 10 meetings) due to COVID-19 pandemic.|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 154| style=";" | Athletics, 82| style=";" | Athletics, 72| style=";" | Athletics
520467||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 127| style=";" | Angels, 63| style=";" | Angels, 64| style=";" | Athletics
527479||-| | style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 76| style=";" | Angels, 52| style=";" | Athletics, 42| style=";" | Athletics
533486| Schedule structure modified this season to allow every team to play one series against every interleague team. Shortening meetings from 19 to 13 games.|-| | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 85| style=";" | Angels, 43| style=";" | Athletics, 51| style=";" | Athletics
541491||-| Los Angeles Angels vs Kansas City Athletics| style=";" | Angels| style=";" | 7749| style=";" | Angels, 4221| style=";" | Angels, 3528| |-| Los Angeles Angels vs Oakland Athletics | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 492414| style=";" | Athletics, 232221| style=";" | Athletics, 260193||-| Overall Regular season games | style=";" | Athletics| style=";" | 541491| style=";" | Angels, 263253| style=";" | Athletics, 288228|